I'm sure that this post will offend a lot of folks who subscribe to this way of thinking, and I'll be accused of all sorts of vileness. Some will say that I am a fundamentalist. Others will claim that what I am about to lay out here is too narrow. Yet others will say that I am egotistical to think that I can claim a monopoly on the truth.
But, truth is not relative. It is what it is. In fact, it is more than that. Truth is the person of Jesus Christ our Lord. He was absolute.
So what is Appeasement Theology?
Appeasement Theology is the idea that Christ is not the only way to enter into everlasting life. That there are in fact many ways to get to heaven. That Jesus was a mere symbol and model for the Jewish culture, just as Vishnu is the same symbol for Hindu culture, as Allah is the same symbol for Islamic culture. That there is not one way to get to heaven. That there are indeed many roads and many ways. That God is infinite, and cannot be limited to one form of expression.
Many people who preach this apostasy actually refer to themselves Christians. And while they hold to their faith in Christ to redeem their souls, they also believe that others who do not profess Christ will also be redeemed.
I can see the logical reasoning behind this point of view. It is to appease the masses, so as not to offend those who have put their hope in a lie. It sounds good. It surely won't offend anyone - except the offensive fundamentalists who claim that Jesus is the only way. But is it true?
Let's look at some of the exclusive claims of Christianity and Jesus Christ:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (John 10:7-11)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (1 John 4:9)
10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10)
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12-19)
Whew! That is a lot of pretty exclusive claims stating that Jesus Christ is the only hope of attaining salvation! Now either Jesus was lying when He said those things? Or someone was lying saying that He said those things? Or He was telling the truth, and meant exactly what He said?
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